Ribbon vibrator for typewriters



Nov. 17,1925 1,561,541

0. A. HOKANSON RIBBON VIBRATOR FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Se t. 1. 1921 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 17, 1925.

'0. A. HOKANSON RIBBON VIBRATOR FOR TYPEWRI'I'BRS Filed Sept. 1921 3Sheets-Shoot 2 nlllll Nov. 17, 1925- 0. A. HOKANSON mason vmnuon FORurswnmzas 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 1, 1921 Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,561,541 PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO A. HOKANSON, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WOODSTOCK TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF WOODSTOCK. ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RIBBON VIBRATOR FOR TYPEWRITERS.

Application filed September 1, 1921.

To (1Z1? HIIOIH, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO A. HoKANsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at \Voodstock, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ribbon Vibra torsfor Typewriters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for controlling the inking ribbonfor typewriters and especially that portion of the mechanism by whichthe ribbon is moved to cover and uncover the printing point. Theinvention is particularly applicable to typewriters which may be foldedfor compacting. It has for its object the provision of mechanism of theclass named which shall be of improved construction and operation. It isexemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in theaccompanying drawings and described in the following specification, andis more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a port on of atypewriter embodying one form of the present invention;

Fig. 1 shows a detail of construction;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the typewriterillustrated in Fig. 1 showing the ribbon vibrator mechanism in frontelevation; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the typewriter shown in Figs. 1and 2, with the platen carriage arranged in folded position.

As illustrated, the numeral designates the main or base frame of atypewriter having a pair of arms 11 pivoted thereon at 12 for supportingthe platen carriage frame 13 so that it may be swung about the pivots 12into and out of operating position. The frame 13 is provided with ways14on which the platen carriage 15 slides transversely of the machinecarrying therewith the platen 16. Key levers 17 are pivoted at 18 on themain frame 10 and are connected by sublevers 19 and links 20 with typebars 21 which are mounted on a type bar segment 22 supported by the mainframe.

Ribbon spools 23 are journaled at 24 on brackets 25 formed on the sidewalls of the main frame and a ribbon 26 is g\ ided between the spools 23by arms 27 which carry the ribbon adjacent the platen at its centralportion near the printing point. The rib- Serial No. 497,647.

bon 26 is supported by loops 28 formed on a ribbon vibrator 29 which ismounted to slide vertically upon a vibrator frame or supporting plate30. The downward movement of the vibrator 29 is limited by lugs 31 011the plate and-the vibrator is guided in its sliding movement by tongues32 which are bent about the edges of the plate.

The arms 27 and the plate 30 are carried by a rod 33 which extendstransversely of the main frame and has its ends journaled in the sidewalls thereof. The rod 33 may turn in its hearings to permit the arms 27and the ribbon "ibrator support 30 to swing from their operatingposition shown in Fig. 1 to the folded position shown in Fig. 2. Theparts are held in operating position by a catch 34 wh ch releasablyengages the vibrator supporting plate.

A rocking bar 35 is pivoted in the side Walls of the typewriter frameand extends transversely thereof adjacent the rear wall. The bar 35carries a pair of arms 36 which have a pin and slot connection 37 witharms 38 pivoted at 39 on the side walls of the frame. Links 40 areconnected with the arms 38 and support a universal bar 41 dispoiedbeneath the key levers 17. Operation of the key levers oscillates thebar 35 which is returned to its normal position after each keyleveroperation by springs 42. An arm 43 projects is connected by a pin andslot connection 44 with a link 45. The link 45 is pivoted at 46 to adownwardly projecting ear 4'? formed upon an arm48 which is pivotallymounted at 49 on anupwardly projecting arm 50pivotally carried on thebar 33. The arm 43 is provided with a laterally bent lug 51 which limitsthe rearward movement of the link 45 upon its pivot 44 while permittingforward movement of the link about its pivot independently of the arm43.

A segment 52 is mounted on the pivot 49 adjacent the arm 48 and the arm48 carries a pin 53 arranged to engage depressions 54 in the segment 52and hold the segment and arm for movement in unison with one another.The arm 48 is spring-pressed against the segment 52 but yields laterallyto permit movement of the pin 53 from one depression 54 to another. Aspring 55 connected to the segment 52 tending to draw the segment in acounterclockwise direction. as viewed in Fig. 1, and the movement ofupwardly from the bar 35 and the segment under the influence of thespring55 is limited by a log 56lwhich projects into a slot in the rearwall of theframe 10. The pin 53 is resiliently pressedinto the openings54 piece 58 projects fromthe end of the arm 48 by means of which the armmay be shifted relative to thesegment 52 to bring the pin 50 intoengagement with the differ ent depressions 54.

' Whenthepin 53 is in the lowern'iost depression the-"link will :befiinits rearmost )ositioninrcontact with the lug' 51. When theparts arethusarranged theoperationofa keylever"willi'move"the arm 41.?) forwardly.carrying the; link therewit b. and rotate thearin t8 and segment 52inTL- clockwise direction. T hesegn'ient 52 is prointo printing positionbythe vibrator.

vided withta laterally extending arm 59 which is pivotally. anddetachably Connected with a pin 60 on the vibrator 29. The movement ofthe segment will lift the vibrator 29 to bring the ribbon Qfiover theprinting point at the time that the type bar strikes the platen. Whenthe parts are adjusted as shown inFig. lof-the drawings, the lowerportion of. the ribbon will bev brought If the arm 4:8 is shifted tobring the pin 53 into the middle depression etthe link 4;;

will be swung forwardly .a short distance away from the lug 51 so thatwhen a'key lever is depressed the upward movement of the ribbon vibratorwill take place at a later time in the cycle of operation of the partsand the upward movement will beof less extent than when thepinis inengagement with the lowest depression 5a. This will bring the upperportionofthe ribbon into 'printingposit'ion, and where a two color.ribbon is employed the intermediate depression .54 isusually.employed'for. writ ing on the black zone of the-ribbon, whilethe lower depression is used for writing on red When the arm as isshiftedrto the uppermost depression 54. the operation of a key leverwill not affect the ribbon vibrator, which will therefore'remainstationary when a key "is struck. This adjustment lisconimonly employedfor cutting stencils. As shown in Fig. 1,thearm 59.:is provided with abifurcated head 61 which'fits over the pin 60 to operate the vibratorwhen theparts are in their operating position. lVhen the catch 34 isdisengaged to permit the vibrator and its support to s ing by gravityinto folded position, asshowri in Fig. 3, the pin (iOrnoves out ofengagement with the bifurcated head 61. permitting fold; ing of theribbon guides and vibrator prior to the folding of the platen carriageframe. This removes the guides and vibrator out of the path of thecarriage frame so that they will not interfere with the foldingoperation of the frame parts.

by a spring 57 and a fingez showninFigl, the arm 61 A link 62ispivotally. connected at 63 to the arm. 50 and the forward end of thelink 62 is pivoted to the lower end of an arm 64 which is supported at65 on aneX- tension "66 of the bracket A'spring 67 normally draws thearm 64 forwardly but the arm is held against movement when the parts arein operating position by a pin (SS-which engages a shoulder 69 at theupper end of the arm 64;. The pin 68 is car ried by the pivoted arm 11of the platen carriage frame and is arranged so that as soon'as theplaten carriageframe is raised fronrjthe full to the broken lineposition the brokenline position in thatligure, drawing the link 62forwardly and swinging the arm 50 in a counterclockwise direct-ion;about the red 3331 This will. shift -theisegment'52 with .itsbifurcatedconnecting head 61 from the ,position shown. in Fig. l to.that hown in Fig. 3,'bringing the bifurcated head 61 into re-engagementwith the pin. '60 before the platen carriage frame has moved out ofthe.path of the type bars. The bifurcated head 61 will thus be heldresiliently in contact with-the pin 60 and hold the vibrator and ribbonguides in folded position. When the. arm 50 and the segment 52eare swungforwardly the upper end of the link 45 will'be drawn upwardly andforwardly into the position shown "nliig. 3, the link sliding npon the.arm 4L3 :by means of its pin and slot connectiontherewith.

Thelink 45 preferably carriesa cam projection 70 which remains incontact with'the lug 51 for all positions of the-link. When the platencarriageframe isfold'ed'to bring theplaten over the keyboard in its compo ed positionia lug .71 formetllon the arm 11 will be brought into theopeni jigq of a hook 72 projecting forward'ly'from the arm Gel j. tolock the arm 64: in its forward position, as shown in Fig; 3. This willprovide a positive lock for the folded ribbon stipaorts whichwillsupplement the action of the pri g d p eve any i nvemento theribbonsupports while the frame parts are in their folded position. a When the,platen carriageframe is returned to its op erating position the ribbonsupports;will be released from the locking lug 71; and may be manuallyswung rearwardly-and upwardly to their operating position in which theywill be held by the catch 34. The arrange ment provides a foldingtypewriter in which the ribbon mechanism is all carried on the main orbase frame and in which the folding of the frame parts does not breaktheoperative connections of the -ribbon mechanism. lrle'ansis also providedfor positively locking the ribbon supports, in a folded position duringthetime that the typewriter is folded sothat'1 there is; no danger ofthese supports becomingbent or will swing to otherwise injured whileaccidentally moved so as to project above the other portions of thetypewriter. the parts are still resiliently held in folded position,thus avoiding danger of their being raised into the path of the platencarriage frame during its movement to operating position. The guides areheld folded by the spring 67 until the platen carriage frame is in placeand the guides are raised by the operator into engagement with theretaining catch 34:.

1. In a compactible typewriter, a main frame having a platen carriageframe movably mounted thereon, a ribbon vibrator support foldablymounted on said main. frame for movement into a compacted position, aribbon vibrator on said support, key levers on said main frame, and anoperative means connecting said key levers with said vibrator, saidvibrator when folded being automatically movable by the folding movementof said vibrator support out of engagement with said operativeconnection.

2. In combination, a typewriter having a ribbon vibrator foldablymounted thereon for movement into a compacted position, and actuatingmechanism for said vibrator, said vibrator when folded. being automati'cally movable by the folding movement thereof out of operativeengagement with said actuating mechanism.

3. The combination with a typewriter having two frame parts foldablerelative to one another, of a ribbon vibrator foldably mounted on one ofsaid frame parts for movement into compacted position independently ofthe other frame part, and an actuating member for said vibrator carriedon the same frame part therewith, said vibrator when folded beingautomatically movable by the folding movement thereof out of operativeengagement with said actuating member.

4-. The combination with a typewriter having a main frame and a platencarriage frame movably mounted thereon, of a ribbon vibrator foldablymounted on said main frame for movement into compacted position, andactuating mechanism for said vibrator on said main frame, said vibratorwhen folded being automatically movable by the folding movement thereofout of operative connection with its actuating mechanism.

5. The combination with a typewriter having a main frame and a platencarriage frame foldably mounted thereon, of a ribbon vibrator foldablymounted on said main frame, and actuating mechanism for said vibratorcarried by said main frame, said vibrator being movable out of operativeengagement with its actuating mechanism during a portion of the foldingmovement of After the lock is released said 'ibrator, and means forre-engaging said actuating mechanlsm and vibrator when said platencarriage frame is moved relative to said main frame.

(3. The combination with a typewriter havlng two frame parts compactlblerelative to one another, of a ribbon vibrator for said typewriter,actuating mechanism for said vibrator and its actuating mechanism, be

ing separable during a folding operation of said vibrator and means forsubsequently reconnecting said vibrator and its actuating mechanismduring the folding operation of said typewriter.

8. The combination with a typewriter, of foldable ribbon mechanismthereon, and ac tuating means for said ribbon mechanism, said ribbonmechanism and its actuating means being operatively disconnected fromone another and subsequently brought into re-engagement during thefolding operation of said typewriter.

9. The combination with a folding type writer having folding meansthereon for manipulating a ribbon, of actuating means for said ribbonmanipulating means, said actuating means comprising a device for holdingsaid ribbon manipulating means in its folded position when saidtypewriter is folded.

10. The comb nation in a foldable typewriter, of foldable means thereonfor manipulating a ribbon, and means for locking said ribbonmanipulating means in its folded position, said locking means beingautomatically operable by the folding of said typewriter.

11. The combination with a typewriter having two frame parts foldablerelative to one another, of foldable ribbon manipulating means mountedon one of said frame parts, andmeans for resiliently holding said ribbonmanipulating means in folded position during folding operation of saidframe parts relative to one another.

12. The combination with a typewriter having frame parts foldablerelative to one another, of ribbon manipulating means foldably mountedon one of said frame parts, means for holding said ribbon manipulatingmeans in folded position during the folding of said frame parts relativeto one another, and means for locking said ribbon manipulating means infolded position when said frame parts are folder 13. The combinationwith a typewriter gagement of said said vibrator while said vibrator isin folded position.

25. In a typewriter, a platen carriage support, a ribbon vibrator, anoscillatory member for actuating said vibrator, an arm adjustablyconnected with said oscillatory member for actuating said member variousamounts, key levers for said typewriter, an operative connection betweensaid key levers and said arm, and a support for said oscillatory memberand its actuating arm, said support being shiftable relative to saidplaten carriage support.

26. In a typewriter, a platen carriage support, a ribbon vibratormovable to different positions on said typewriter, a pivotally mountedsegmental member for operating said vibrator, an arm pivotedconcentrically with said operating member and adjustably connectedtherewith for moving said operating member various amounts, key levers,an operative connection between said arm and said key levers, and asupport for said operating member and arm, said support beingoscillatory member with shiftable relative to said platen carriagesupport to accommodate said support to different positions of saidvibrator.

27. In combination, a typewriter having a ribbon vibrator foldablymounted thereon, an oscillatory member for operating said vibrator, saidvibrator being movable out of engagement with said oscillatory memberwhen said vibrator is folded, an arm pivoted concentrically with saidoscillatory member for actuating said member, said arm being adjustablerelative to said member to impart various amounts of movement to saidvibrator, key levers for said typewriter, an operative connectionbetween said key levers and said arm. a shiftable support for saidoscillatory member and its actuating arm, and means for moving saidsupport to bring said oscillatory member into re-engagement with saidvibrator to retain said vibrator in folded position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this27th day of August, A. D. 1921.

OTTO A. HOKANSON.

